Cork was founded about AD 547 by St. Finbarr as a Christian outpost on the site then called Cruim na Rann. The name is derived from the Latin word for marsh or swampland, cricisterna ranae. After the arrival of Saint Augustine in 602, the town became known as Ciarraigheacht Fhir Mhaonaigh. In 1185 it was granted a royal charter at King Henry II giving it the status of a free borough with rights similar to Dublin. This made it the first English town outside London to receive such privileges. The original boundaries of the town were marked by walls erected at this time. These are still visible today, although they are largely replaced by 19th-century buildings.
In 1204, after the Norman invasion of Ireland, William Marshal established his base here. He named the area 'New Town' because he wanted to distinguish it from other Normans who had settled there before him. New Town later developed into a walled medieval suburb within the larger urban area, which later became known as Cork City.
In 1316 Edward III granted permission to build the Cathedral Church of Christ, Holy Trinity, which stands on the highest point in the town.